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SECTION 7 OVERVIEW from the plane. Rather than screws to secure the frog to the plane body, Bedrock planes used pins that are dimpled to engage with screws from the back of the frog. Stanley continued to sell its less costly Bailey-type planes, so to make it easier for the public to distinguish between the two, it modeled square sides into the body of the Bedrock planes. Although the frog design is a dramatic improvement, Bedrock planes still suffered from the thin cutting iron that was, and is still, provided with the Bailey-type planes. The idea was that a thin iron was easier to sharpen. Remember, too, that these planes were primarily intended for use on straight-grain softwoods rather than figured hardwoods. Even so, the long-discontinued Bedrock planes sell for many times more than when they were new.Woodworkers search for usable examples that they can put to work, while tool collectors desire the pristine planes, preferably with the original box. When cleaned, restored and fitted with a new, thicker iron (see p. 162), Bedrock planes perform quite well and considerably better than Bailey-type planes. As the popularity of woodworking has risen, so has the demand for high-quality hand tools. Several companies are now producing new lines, including layout tools, edge tools, and planes, to meet that demand. Lie-Nielsen Toolworks Lie-Nielsen produced its first plane in the early 1980s. Based upon the Bedrock designs, Lie-Nielsen bench planes feature a mating, machined fit between the plane body and the frog. Lie-Nielsen also improved the Bedrock design by adding thicker castings, thicker irons, and cryogenically treated double- A machined groove in the Bedrock frog keeps it aligned with the sole. This Lie-Nielsen smooth plane is an improved version of Bedrock designs. A Bedrock plane is easily distinguished by its square sides. Planes and Planing 129